A Grimm Outlook
by Ferret304
Summary: What exactly are the Grimm? How do they come to exist? Why do they only hunt humans? Ruby and her team are about to find out, and they won't like the answer they get. Rated M so I have room to manouvre. If you're not a fan of Ladybug, you probably won't like parts of this story, either.
1. Chapter 1

"Ruby! Duck!"

Weiss's warning echoed through the forest. Ruby ducked, avoiding the slashing claws of the Beowolf, and sliced it in half. Ruby closed ranks with Weiss, as three more Beowolves came rushing into the clearing.

"Ready?"

Weiss could hear the smirk in Ruby's voice.

"Please. I could take this bunch with both hands behind my back."

"I'm sure you could. But we don't need to."

"What?"

"Watch."

Two loud gunshots cracked through the air, followed by the sickening sound of a blade lodging in a spinal column. The Beowolves collapsed, and Blake and Yang stepped over their corpses.

"How's it going, little sister?"

"We could have taken them."

"Sure you could. But this kitty here didn't want to risk her lovely young rose getting scratched."

Blake shot Yang an evil look. Ruby bounced over and grabbed Blake's hand, looking up at her. The cat ninja looked down at her, and planted a light kiss on her head.

"Oh my. Am I interrupting something?"

The four whirled towards the voice. On the edge of the clearing stood what appeared to be a man, shrouded in wisps of black mist. He wore what appeared to be a torn black suit, and a white mask similar to the face of a Grimm. His voice sounded odd, like it was underlain by the growls of a thousand animals.

Weiss, of course, was not fazed.

"Who are you, and what do you want?"

"What do I want? My dear girl, some manners would not go astray. It is customary to start with introductions, no? My name is Itami. Kuro Itami."

Blake stifled a giggle.

"Is my name amusing to you?"

"It's a little pretentious."

"Is it really? More pretentious that wearing a bow, thinking that it would hide those ears, is it, neko?"

Blake narrowed her eyes at him.

"What do you want?"

"My, my. You could cut the hostility here with a butterknife-"

Weiss raised Myrtenaster, and glyph appeared at its tip.

"Please leave. _Now_."

"Or…? You'll shoot me? Please do, if it makes you feel better."

Weiss looked questioningly at Ruby, who extended Crescent Rose, and motioned to the rest of her teammates to do the same. Then, Ruby turned to Kuro.

"You _are_ trespassing in a combat zone. If you don't leave, we'll have to kill you."

"Like you killed them?"

Kuro spread his hands, motioning to the rapidly decaying bodies of the Grimm that they had slain.

"They're monsters. They'd have killed us if they could."

"Then the same holds true for me."

Ruby's eyes widened.

"Oh, you figured it out? Well done, kodomo."

Blake raised her pistol, and fired a shot at Kuro's face. He swung an elbow across his face, dragging wisps of black with it. The bullet traced a swirling hole through the mist, but on the other side, the white Grimm mask was untouched.

"That was rather ru-"

He was cut off by a barrage of fire from the rest of the team. Swirling holes appeared in the mist surround him. After ten seconds of sustained fire, the clearing was silent, and the mist fell sluggishly to the floor. Ruby turned to Blake.

"Do you think we got him?"

"I-"

"Missed!"

Kuro called out from the branch of a tree, waving jauntily at them. Yang, her hair blazing, fired a round from her shotgun. It passed through the mist, leaving a gaping hole.

"Dear me. I guess I'll be going. Do try not to die on the way out. It would be a shame if something were to kill you before your usefulness was up."

The mist swirled, and Kuro disappeared.

Ruby collapsed onto Blake's bed, too tired to be bothered climbing onto hers. The cat ninja stood, looking at her.

"Yes, Blake?"

"That's my bed, Ruby."

"I know." Ruby patted the spot next to her. "Sit next to me."

Blake remained still.

"Come on. Please?"

Ruby gave her the biggest puppy eyes she could manage. Blake relented, and sat. Ruby shifted, and placed her head in Blake's lap. Blake tensed for a moment, but gave in, and let Ruby stay there.

"Blake?"

"Yes, Ruby?"

"What did he call you?"

"Who?"

"That Itami guy."

"Kuro? He called me a cat."

"Kuro? He said his name was Itami."

"In that language, you give your last name first."

"Huh?"

"It's tradition."

Ruby looked up at her.

"How do you know that?"

Blake sighed, and leant her back against the wall.

"I was raised that way. It was my first language."

"Who taught you English, then?"

Blake hesitated.

"Blake?"

"The White Fang."

"Oh. Sorry."

Blake chuckled, and planted a small kiss on Ruby's forehead.

"It's ok."

Ruby sat up, and opened her arms. Blake rolled her eyes, and pulled Ruby into a tight hug.

"You may as well be my little sister, acting like this."

Ruby smirked, sensing an opening.

"Blake! I didn't know you were into that."

Blake growled, and flicked her on the forehead.

"Sorry." Ruby bowed her head. "No more hugs today, right?"

Blake pretended to think about it for a moment.

"I'll let you off this once."

Ruby hugged her.

"I love you, Blake."

Blake smiled.

"I-"

"_Team RWBY, please report to Professor Ozpin's office immediately._"


	2. Chapter 2- Part One

**CHAPTER 2**

Ozpin leant forwards in his chair.

"Could you describe this man again?"

Ruby nodded.

"We didn't really get a good look at him, but he was wearing a black suit, and a mask that looked like a Grimm. Do you know him, professor?"

Ozpin frowned.

"I'd prefer if you kept this amongst your team. I do not know him personally, no. But rumours have reached me, from other hunters, about a man dressed in black, who wears a Grimm mask. I do believe that you encountered him today."

Blake stepped forwards.

"Professor."

"Yes, Miss Belladonna?"

"Is this person a Grimm?"

"I'm afraid I cannot answer that, Miss Belladonna. I do not know. Right now, there is nothing that suggests he is not human, so I would like you to treat him as such."

"I understand."

"Be sure that you do."

The four nodded.

"You may leave."

As they walked down the corridors back to the team RWBY dorm, Ruby latched onto Blake's arm. Blake looked down at her.

"Hey, Blake?"

"Yes Ruby?"

"Will you come to Vale with me tomorrow?"

"Well, I was going to-"

"Pleeeeaaaase?"

"Alright."

"Thanks Blake."

Ruby stood on her tiptoes, and pecked Blake on the cheek. The cat ninja reddened.

"Where are you two going?"

Weiss's voice snapped Ruby's attention away from the gorgeous cat girl. They had been so wrapped up in each other that they had almost walked straight past their dorm. Ruby went in, and hopped up onto her bed.

"Goodnight, Blake."

Blake smiled.

"Goodnight, Ruby."

**A/N:**

**Sorry for this short chapter- this'll be in two parts, so this is part one. Part two should be out tomorrow. Remember, any reviews, no matter how small, help out immensely.**


	3. Chapter 2- Part Two

_**PREFACE: **__At the time of publishing, /u/Soap916 has been hospitalised. Best of luck to him, and we hope he gets better soon._

**CHAPTER 2- PART 2**

"Where are you dragging me, Ruby?"

"We're going shopping, Blake. Come on!"

"Ruby, if you're trying to take me to a weapon shop…"

Ruby stopped, and pouted.

"How did you know? Did Yang tell you?"

Blake smiled, and ruffled Ruby's hair.

"I know you. Perhaps a little too well for your own good."

Ruby sensed that Blake was giving her an opportunity for some fun.

"Really? What do you know that's not good for me?"

Blake pretended to think about it for a moment.

"Well, I know that if I do _this,_ you'll do whatever I say."

Blake leant down, placed her hands on either side of Ruby's ribs, and pushed in. Ruby immediately started squirming.

"Blake! Noooooo! Ok, you win! I'll do what you want! Please!"

Blake stepped back, allowing Ruby to catch her breath, and put on the most innocent voice she could muster.

"Are you recovered yet?"

"You win. Where are we going?"

Blake grinned.

"We're going to get coffee- I know a place."

Ruby latched onto Blake's arm, and smiled.

"I love coffee!"

"Ruby, you're practically made of caffeine. I will _not_ let you have anything that's not a decaf."

"But Blaaaake-"

"No."

"Fine."

Five minutes later, Ruby and Blake sat at a table, nursing their coffee in one hand, their other hands intertwined.

"Blake?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think about that man yesterday?"

Blake frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, what do you think?"

"I think… I think he's dangerous. He must be very good with dust, because he managed to displace all of our bullets. I also don't think he's a Grimm. It's more likely that he's just psychotic."

Ruby nodded.

"Psychotic? No, no, no. I can assure you that I am perfectly sane, my dear."

Ruby jumped, and, whirling around, found herself face to face with a certain white Grimm mask. Then there was what felt like a hammerblow to her chest, and Ruby felt herself being thrown backwards across the terrace.

"Ruby!"

"I'm fine, Blake. Where'd he go?"

Blake looked around, locking her eyes on the shadowy figure on the roof nearby.

"There!"

Blake looped an arm around Ruby, who fired Crescent Rose, launching the pair up onto the roof. Kuro turned to them.

"Ah, I'm glad to see that you decided to follow me. Shall we dance?"

He spread his arms, and the black mist came hurtling towards the pair, who dove out of the way.

"Well done. I see your skills in fleeing are unparalleled. Perhaps you think-"

He was cut off as Blake hurtled towards him, slashing at him with her weapons. Again and again, the cat ninja launched flurries of blows that would have chopped the average hunter or huntress into slivers, but Kuro withstood them all. Of the few blows she managed to land, they all slid through the mist surrounding him. Then something changed. Blake was landing more blows, the mist thinning. Then, the sound of sharpened steel passing through flesh tore through the air, and Kuro staggered back, holding his shoulder, breathing heavily.

"Ruby! Now!"

Ruby charged in, Crescent Rose held above and behind her. The darkness rushed forwards, and pierced her lower leg. Ruby let out a cry, and stumbled, falling to the ground. The darkness gathered over her, forming a sharp cone.

"Ruby!"

Blake tried to rush towards her, but a tendril of mist snaked out, stabbing into her lower abdomen. Blake let out a confused mew of terror, and collapsed. The mist hovering above Ruby split, and wrapped itself around the huntress like a cocoon.

"Now then, Miss Rose, shall we depart?"

Blake looked up, to see Kuro drop off the edge of the building, the mist containing Ruby following him.

"… Ruby…"

Blake coughed, droplets of blood spattering across the concrete, before the darkness that had gathered on the edges of her vision rushed in to claim her.

_Blake stood, watching Ruby fending off a Grimm, twirling her scythe._

"_Help me, Blake!"_

_Blake tried to step forwards, but her feet refused to move. Black shackles locked her feet in place. The Grimm slashed into Ruby's chest, and ran off. The red-clad huntress collapsed to the ground, taking in short, gurgling breaths._

"_Blake… Why didn't you help me?"_

_Blake reached out, trying to get to her._

"_Ruby!"_

"_It's-It's your fault, Blake."_

"_No!"_

_Blake collapsed to her knees, tears blurring her vision._

"_Please, Ruby… Please come back."_

_Her vision twisted, and Ruby disappeared. Now she stood in a forest, again watching Ruby struggling with a Grimm. Blake looked down. The shackles were gone. She rushed forwards as the Grimm knocked Ruby to the ground, and towered over her. Blake stabbed it through the back, driving her sword down as the Grimm collapsed on top of Ruby._

"… _Blake… That hurt…"_

"_Ruby! I thought- I thought-"_

_Blake pushed the Grimm off Ruby, and saw a large patch of red spreading from her chest._

"… _Ruby…"_

"_Why, Blake?"_

_Blake was shocked into silence._

"_I thought you would save me, Blake. Why didn't you…"_

"_Ruby, I tried. I really did. I-"_

"_You should have- Should have tried harder…"_

"_Ruby!"_

_Ruby's head drooped to the side, and her chest stood still._

"No!"

Blake jerked upright, breathing heavily. Her eyes took in the unfamiliar environment.

"Where am I?"

"Blake? You're awake!"

Blake turned to look at the voice. It was emitting from a girl with long, yellow hair, and lilac eyes.

"Yang…"

"Don't ever do that again, Blake. We thought you'd died."

"I nearly did."

"I can see that," said Yang, motioning at Blake.

Blake looked at herself. Bandages were thickly swathed around her abdomen where Kuro had impaled her. Various IV's were coming out of her arms.

"And Ruby? Is she ok?"

Yang looked down.

"Yang? Where's Ruby?"

"She's gone..."

Blake felt like someone had just smacked her with a hammer. Her lung refused to work, and her limbs wouldn't obey her commands.

"Blake? Blake?!"

Blake collapsed backwards onto her bed, the darkness once again closing over her vision.

"… Ruby…"

The darkness consumed her again, dragging her back down into the worlds created by her failures.


End file.
